The geology of the Appalachian Mountain system is unique and complex, especially in the Blue Ridge Province. Unlike most regions of the earth where the youngest rock is the most visible, in the Blue Ridge, the younger rocks are covered by those that are millions of years older. This phenomena is more visible at Linville Falls than at almost any other place along the Blue Ridge.

Approximately 450 million years ago, the eastern portion of the North American continent collided with the continent of Africa. this collision caused an episode of mountain-building characterized by faulted, folded, and metamorphosed rock that became the core of the Appalachian Mountain range. This mountain range begins in Alabama and continues north into Nova Scotia. A later episode of mountain-building occurred around 250 million years ago when the North American and African continents were once again forced against each other. The geologic activity has been compared to the current collision between India and the continent of Asia. In fact, it is believed that the height of the Appalachian Mountains could once have been comparable to that of the Himalayan Mountains, with peaks as high as Mount Everest.

When North America collided with Africa, the impact cause the crust to buckle, break, and slide. This energy forced older rock formations to move on top of the younger rock.

Weathering, a powerful process that continued from the earth’s earliest stages, has been wearing down these once-giant mountains for millions of years. Today, as a result of this weathering many different layers are exposed making it possible to view both the young and old rock at the Linville Fault.

A fault is a fracture in the earth’s crust where two portions of the earth move past each other. The 250-million year old Linville Falls Fault is visible from the Upper Falls. Here, the earth’s crust was thrust upward and the younger rock was covered by thousands of feet of very old rock. This short hike offers a great opportunity to see one of earth’s magnificent faults first hand.

More Images

Related Posts

Linville Falls
The Linville Falls area is located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Parkway Milepost 316.4. The Linville is a wild and scenic river and the massive gorge it has created is […]

Mount MitchellOf the ten highest mountains in the eastern United States, six are in the Black Mountain Range of western North Carolina. The most famous of these is Mount Mitchell, which at 6684 feet is […]

Old Growth ForestsOld-Growth forests conjures up visions of the great forests that once covered most of eastern north America, and of towering trees undisturbed by logging and human settlement. They provide […]

Linville Falls Trails
Linville Falls is home to many beautiful, scenic trails. All offer a good hike and most also reward you with a spectacular view. Here are a list of trails in the Linville […]

Chimney RockIn 1885 Chimney Rock began its long history as a tourist attraction when the first stairway to its 315-foot granite summit was completed. Missouri native Lucius Moore purchased the […]

Comments Closed

Comments are closed. You will not be able to post a comment in this post.

Have you ever seen a Carolina Lily? Did you know it is North Carolina’s official state wildflower? But take care to avoid mistaking it for [...]

About The Digital Heritage Project

DigitalHeritage.org includes essays, video interviews, and other materials created by the students of Western Carolina University. It also includes regional lesson plans created by teachers participating in the Adventure of the American Mind project sponsored by the Library of Congress. Radio spots created by WCU faculty and students may be heard on stations WKSF-FM, WMXF-AM, WPEK-AM, WWCU-FM, and WWNC-AM. A print version is available each month in the Laurel of Asheville.